Chuck Sweeny: Readers get their say today

It’s been a while since I dipped into the email ebag, so let’s do that today.

About my column on the promoters of a graduated income tax to provide Illinois with billions more in taxes, here’s part of what Don Balsam of Roscoe wrote:

“Do we need more revenue (taxes) or less spending? I look back to my 9 years on the Harlem School Board. In my first year, we realized we were spending almost $2 million more than we were taking in. Of course that quickly depletes any fund balances left for a rainy day. Our first action was to prove to the taxpayers that we were good stewards of their money. Yes, we made some very painful cuts. We did engage the community in the process to help us evaluate what was most important to them. Once we were able to bring spending in line with our income, the taxpayers were given the choice of having that level of services in the school district or to increase the tax rate.

“Our legislature in Illinois has done nothing to prove they are good stewards of our money. The more they get, the more they spend ... ,” Balsam said.

About Sunday’s column explaining how Illinois Democrats are tacking hard left for November’s election by calling for a $10 or more minimum wage and a tax on millionaires, Ken Minarek commented on Facebook:

“No matter how much of his own millions he spends, (GOP gubernatorial nominee Bruce) Rauner will lose BIG to (Democratic Gov. Pat) Quinn. After Quinn leaves Cook County up by the usual 1 million votes, I can’t imagine that Rauner’s union-busting rhetoric will play well to any teacher, fireman, police officer or union tradesman anywhere in Illinois. Plus, a pro-abortion Republican cannot bring in the great fundamentalist majority that Kirk Dillard might have. A massacre is guaranteed,” Minarek said.

An election analysis I wrote, titled “Bruce Rauner-Pat Quinn fight will be main event,” prompted 22 people to comment on Facebook, where they started a lively debate among themselves. Here are selected excerpts:

“For all the Republican campaigning about massive tax hikes, our rates are still way lower than Wisconsin and among (the lowest quarter of states.) Republicans have tried to play on that for five years now and it’s false and it hasn’t helped them win the state p.r. battle much either,” said Tim Braman.

Don Gugliuzza said he didn’t want Rauner “turning Illinois into another Wisconsin, Indiana or Michigan. Wisconsin ranks at the bottom for job creation. All three have robbed education to pay for business perks. No, Illinois has many problems that I don’t believe Quinn and the Democrats can or will solve but I don’t want anyone to add to them.”

But Tom Insko disagreed: “Indiana’s unemployment is 6.4 percent; the state has provided $600 million in tax relief, and has a balanced budget. Wisconsin has 6.1 percent unemployment and a $500 million surplus slated for tax relief. Illinois has 8.4 percent unemployment, $8 billion in past due bills, a $2 billion deficit and $100 billion in unfunded (pension) liabilities. Tell me again why we do not want to become Wisconsin or Indiana?”

To which Karen Hoffman retorted: “What is the quality of the jobs (created in Indiana and Wisconsin)? Are they minimum wage or do they pay a living wage with benefits? Also, how do employee’s rights compare in those states. If you tell me that the jobs all pay over $30,000, have health benefits and some type of pension benefit, they may have achieved something. If they are jobs paying $10 an hour or less and no benefits then the numbers do not impress me at all. ... Are you aware that most of the people on welfare are employed? ... The numbers presented are not enough to convince me that we need a Rauner for governor.”